CELTIC boss Martin O'Neill described two-goal hero Hyunjun Yang as 'absolutely outstanding' as the Hoops closed the gap on Hearts at the top of the Scottish Premiership table.
Celtic won 3-1 against Motherwell after Elijah Just had opened the scoring for the visitors, while Hearts lost 1-0 at Kilmarnock.
It means the Hoops are just two points behind the league leaders, while Rangers can move to within three points of the Edinburgh side if they defeat St Mirren this afternoon.
Despite falling behind in Saturday's clash, Celtic heads didn't drop as they harried their opponents in a resilient and determined display.
In an impressive team performance, it was Yang the manager lavished praise on as the South Korean winger ended a run of 10 games without a goal, having scored four in the previous seven.
"Yang was absolutely outstanding, got the goals which he deserved, and I thought Daizen [Maeda] was also brilliant," he told Celtic TV after the game.
He continued: "Two great goals, two really great goals, and he deserved them.
"Not only doing the work going forward — I don't know where he gets the energy from — but working back.
"Seriously, I wouldn't mind playing full-back behind him, he does the job for you.
"Really, he was terrific today."
Vital win for Celtic
Benjamin Nygren had a chance to open the scoring after a quarter of an hour, pouncing on Emmanuel Longelo's wayward clearance.
The defender blocked the Swede's attempt to control the ball, with his clearance ricocheting off Paul McGinn and into the grateful hands of keeper Calum Ward.
Ten minutes later, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain almost opened the scoring when his long-range pile-driver was tipped onto the base of the post by Ward before rolling along the goal line.
Fortunately for the visitors, the Well stopper was able to recover and snatch the ball up before the inrushing Maeda could pounce.
However, it was Motherwell who took the lead just after the half-hour mark, the goal coming after Elliot Watt dispossessed Reo Hatate on the edge of the box.
Watt worked the ball to Callum Slattery, who teed up Just to drill low past Viljami Sinisalo at his near post.
Celtic fans' thoughts no doubt turned to their previous home game three weeks ago against Hibernian when they lost ground in the title race in a 2-1 defeat.
However, they were behind for just six minutes, Nygren's pullback from the touchline after pouncing on Tom Sparrow's short pass being tipped by Ward into the path of Yang, who rifled home.
Top scorer Nygren almost put Celtic in front 10 minutes after the restart when his effort from the edge of the box deflected off McGinn's back and onto the post.
However, the Hoops did eventually get their second 20 minutes from time after Maeda went down under pressure from Longelo while attacking Luke McCowan's corner.
Referee John Beaton initially allowed play to continue but after being recommended to review the incident by VAR, awarded Celtic a spot kick and dismissed the Well defender.
Tomáš Čvančara, who scored the final penalty in last weekend's Scottish Cup shootout win over Rangers, duly despatched the spot kick to put Celtic 2-1 in front.
Seven minutes later and Yang sealed the points, pouncing on Sinsalo's long punt up-field and dinking the ball over Ward to make it 3-1.
'Fantastic character'
O'Neill praised his side's determination in what was a must-win game ahead of consecutive away trips to both Dundee sides.
"It was a great performance, great by both teams in all honesty, a great game of football, really tough," said the manager.
"We knew it was going to be tough for us and it's proved to be the case.
"Motherwell are a fine, fine side but we showed a lot of determination coming from a goal behind having just given them a goal and it was a terrific performance."
He added: "The second half we really got at them, we really did.
"There was periods in the first half when the game was yoyoing. Whichever side had the ball, they did well.
"Motherwell carved out some openings, we did the same as well, but we couldn't just get that ball in.
"Then we gave away a goal, that's a long way back from there, but the lads have shown fantastic character.
"Today we played some great stuff."
He continued: "We fought back from a goal behind here and we've won, it's a great victory for us.
"In the scheme of things, who knows what it might do or what it might not do but at the end of it all, it's a great win.
"The fans got behind us, which was great. I couldn't be more pleased."
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